Zen Leaf Dispensary in Plymouth MA

Zen Leaf, right off the highway

Plymouth is a town people travel to see: the Rock, the Mayflower II, the harbor and the beaches. Route 3 is the main road in, and Zen Leaf Dispensary in Plymouth MA sits right off it. The store at 11 Richards Road is near South Meadow Road with, in the store’s own words, “straightforward access from Route 3,” and it is close to Plymouth Municipal Airport.

It is an adult-use dispensary for anyone 21 and over, open every day from 10am to 8pm, with its own parking lot. If you live on the South Shore or you are just passing through, here is the rundown before you pull in.

Open since late summer 2020

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission lists 11 Richards Road as an active, licensed adult-use cannabis retailer, open since August 21, 2020.

Customers got their turn a couple of weeks later. Zen Leaf’s opening announcement, published August 26, 2020, said the Plymouth store would open on Friday, September 4, at 10:00am, and called the town “historic Plymouth.” The plan was 10am to 8pm, seven days a week, and those are still the hours today.

Plymouth was the second Zen Leaf in Massachusetts, one week behind its sister store in Sharon. In the same announcement, the company’s chief executive said the goal was “to help make reliable, quality cannabis more accessible.”

Which road is it?

A quick tip that saves a wrong turn. The store’s street shows up online as Richards Road, Richard’s Rd and even Richards Drive. One store listing spells it out: “We are located at 11 Richards Road, Plymouth MA, not Richards drive.” Plug in 11 Richards Road and look for South Meadow Road near the airport.

A neighbor to the airport

The store’s closest landmark is Plymouth Municipal Airport, which makes the address easy to remember. The airport was founded in 1931, has no control tower, and offers scheduled service to Nantucket. Plug the airport into your map and the store is just around the corner.

Advisors who take their time

Zen Leaf calls its staff Cannabis Advisors, and the Plymouth store page says they “take the time to understand your preferences and walk you through the menu” before you buy. You can browse the recreational menu online before you come in, or just walk in and explore with an advisor. Both work, and nobody minds if you have a lot of questions.

What’s on the menu

The Plymouth menu covers flower, pre-rolls, vapes, concentrates, edibles, drinks, tinctures, topicals and accessories. Stock changes often, so check the live menu on the Zen Leaf website before you drive over, especially if you are hunting for something specific.

Cart, disposable or pod? Vape tips from the Zen Leaf blog

Vapes are an easy pick for people on the go, and the Zen Leaf blog has a clear guide to the main types.

Cartridges. A small chamber of cannabis oil that screws onto a separate rechargeable battery. When the oil runs out, you swap the cart and keep the battery. Many carts use a 510 thread, a common connector that fits lots of batteries. The blog’s take: “Carts stretch furthest because the battery is a one-time buy.” It suggests carts for regular users who want value and variety.
Disposables. Oil and battery sealed together in one unit. Use it until it is empty, then toss it. As the blog puts it, “the disposable strips out a step.” It is the simplest option and a good fit for beginners, occasional users and anyone trying a new strain, though the cost adds up with regular use.
Pod systems. A reusable battery paired with pods made for that device. They are compact and create less waste than disposables, but the pods only fit their own system and the selection is smaller.

The same post reminds readers to start with a low dose and never drive after using cannabis. That second one matters on a Route 3 trip.

Hemp or marijuana? The short answer

Wondering how a dispensary product differs from hemp goods? The Zen Leaf blog has a post on that too, and it boils it down to one line: “The real difference in hemp vs. marijuana isn’t botanical, it’s legal.” Both come from the cannabis plant. Under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp is cannabis with no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight, and marijuana is anything above that. The post also notes that hemp fiber goes into rope, paper and textiles, which is a fun fact in a town that was once home to the world’s largest rope maker.

One more useful point from the post: you cannot always tell the two apart by looking. Fiber hemp grows tall and slim, while marijuana is shorter and bushier, but CBD hemp can look a lot like marijuana. Only lab testing settles which legal category a plant falls into. That is one reason the post points shoppers toward licensed, lab-tested dispensaries.

Rewards and deals

Zen Leaf’s free rewards program, the Cabbage Club, works across its stores. You can join online or in the Zen Leaf app, which also handles points and online orders. According to the rewards page, members earn points on every dollar, and every 125 points becomes a $5 coupon. Perks include early access to sales and holiday promotions and a birthday gift or discount. The Plymouth page recommends enrolling from your first visit.

For extra savings, the Plymouth page links to a Top Deals page and mentions rotating promotions throughout the year.

A 4/20 to remember

Plymouth gets in on the fun when the calendar turns to April. For 4/20 this year, Zen Leaf scheduled two food trucks at Plymouth: CJ’s Creation Station from 11am to 1pm, and The Burrito Bowl from 4pm to 7pm. Morning brand pop-ups were set for the store on April 17 and 18, alongside a week of mystery doorbusters and limited-edition 4/20 pins while supplies lasted. Check the Zen Leaf blog in spring to catch the next one.

Plan your visit

Address. 11 Richards Road, Plymouth, MA 02360, near South Meadow Road and Plymouth Municipal Airport.

Getting there. Easy access from Route 3.

Hours. Every day, 10am to 8pm.

Phone. (774) 608-8813.

Parking. On-site parking.

Payment. Debit and cash, with an ATM on site.

Access. ADA accessible.

Order ahead. Order online for pickup, or shop in store.

ID. A valid government-issued ID showing you are 21 or older. The store checks ID for every guest.

Massachusetts cannabis basics

Here are the state rules from the Cannabis Control Commission:

Age. 21 or older, with a government-issued ID for every retail purchase.
Carrying. Up to two ounces in public.
At home. Up to 10 ounces, and anything over two ounces must be locked up.
Where to use it. Not in public places and not on federal land.
In the car. No open containers in the passenger area. Use a closed container in the trunk or a locked glove compartment, and never drive under the influence.
State lines. It is illegal to take cannabis out of Massachusetts, and it cannot be mailed.

Your first visit, step by step

Check the menu online. See what is in stock at Plymouth before you leave home.
Order ahead if you are on a schedule. Your order will be ready for pickup when you arrive.
Bring your ID. Every guest is checked, so have a government-issued ID that shows you are 21 or older.
Ask an advisor about vapes. Cart, disposable or pod: they can help you match the device to how often you use it.
Sign up for rewards. Points start with your first purchase.

Make a day of it in Plymouth

Plymouth calls itself “America’s Hometown,” and it has the history to back that up. The Mayflower Pilgrims founded it in December 1620, making it the first permanent European settlement in New England, and it served as the capital of Plymouth Colony until 1691. The First Thanksgiving was held here in 1621. Today it is a Plymouth County town of 61,217 people (2020 census), and at 134 square miles it is the largest municipality in Massachusetts by area.

There is plenty to see. Plymouth Rock sits under a granite portico built in 1921. The Mayflower II, built in England in 1956, sailed here in 1957. Pilgrim Hall Museum, founded in 1824, is the oldest continually operating museum in the United States, and the National Monument to the Forefathers, dedicated in 1889, stands 81 feet tall. Plimoth Patuxet, a living history museum, opened in 1947.

Want to get outside? Plymouth Beach is the largest of the town’s nine public beaches, a barrier beach about three miles long, and Myles Standish State Forest, the second-largest state forest in the Commonwealth, has 16 freshwater lakes and ponds. The Zen Leaf store page also points visitors toward the harbor, the waterfront and Plymouth Long Beach.

For a bit of industrial history, the Plymouth Cordage Company, founded in 1824, was once the world’s largest rope maker.

Getting around is simple. Plymouth has six exits on Route 3, more than any other town on the Pilgrims Highway. The Plymouth and Brockton bus connects to Boston’s South Station, Logan Airport and the Hyannis Transportation Center, and Plymouth Municipal Airport, founded in 1931, offers scheduled service to Nantucket.

Why Zen Leaf Plymouth is worth the stop

An easy exit off Route 3, a parking lot right outside, patient advisors and the same 10 to 8 hours every day of the week: Zen Leaf Plymouth makes the stop painless. Pick up what you need, then head for the harbor, the Rock or the beach and enjoy America’s Hometown.

Cannabis is for adults 21 and over. Please consume responsibly.